Condenser-tube nipple and mounting



1,640,576 q 1927 w. s. MONROE CONDENSER TUBE NIPPLE AND MOUNTING Filed May 11, 1925 l VZ/[p'am c5. hon/"0e any; I

Patented Aug. 30, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT I OFFICE.

WILLIAM s. MONROE, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO SARGENT & LUNDY, or

' cIIIOAsO,ILLINOIs, A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS.

CONDENSER-TUBE NIPPLE AND MOUNTING.

Application filed May 11, 1925.

My invention relates to an improved condenser tube nipple and mounting.

In practice, it has been found that in the usual type of surface condenser, considerable impedance is offered to the flow of fluid therethrough at the ends of the condenser tubes thereof. This naturally results in a material loss of velocity head of the fluid.

Moreover, in the operation of surface condensers, due to the usual tube construction thereof, there is a tendency for sediment to accumulate on the inner surface of each of the tubes. Such deposits of sediment tend to cake in place, thereby interferring greatly with both the transmission of heat through the walls of the'tubes and with the rate of flow of the fluid therethrough.

The principal objects of the present invention are to minimize the above discussed velocity head losses in condensers and .to provide a smooth entrance and discharge to each tube which will prevent the accumulation of sediment.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved condenser tube construction or mounting wherein one end of a condenser tube is rigidly attached to one of the tube sheets and the other end of the tube is mounted in the other tube sheet in such a manner so as to permit a slight amount of relative movement to take place between the tubes for taking care of thermal contraction and expansion due to differences in temperature between the tubes and the shell of the condenser proper.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which illustrates one embodiment thereof, and in which 7 Fig. 1 is a fragmentary central longitudinal section through a ndenser tube installed in accordance with the present invention; and V Fig. 2 is a more or less diagrammatic section of a condenser illustrating how the condenser tubes are mounted therein. 7

Referring now to the drawing in detail in which like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views, 36 denotes a condenser shell which may be of any suitable or usual form. Mounted on one end of the shell 36 (Fig. 2) is a tube Serial No. 29,323.

38 for passing one fluid medium therethrough. Associated with the sheet 12 is a cap 42 communicating with the tubes at one end and associated with the sheet 10 is a similar cap 40 communicating with the tubes at the other end. These caps 40 and 42 are provided with suitable connections (not shown) for passing the other medium through the tubes 14.

i I shall now proceed tail my improved mounting for each of the tubes 14. Referring now to Fig. 1, the plate 12 is illustrated as being equipped with a slightly tapered aperture indicated by the reference numeral 16. Mounted within this aperture 16 is one end of a tube 14. In order to attach the tube 14 rigidly to the sheetor plate 12, the end of the tube 14 is rolled into the tapered aperture 16 and then expanded in any suitable manner. I find that by providing the aperture with a slight I taper, it greatly facilitates the forcing of the tube therein. Also, when the tube is expanded to secure it to the sheet 12, it is evident. that the taper in the aperture will permit the end of the tube when expanded to assume a somewhat analogous shape,

thereby insuring that the end of the tube will be rigidly fastened to the sheet 12.

To those familiar with the present art, it

is of course obvious that it is only possible to attach the tube 14 rigidly to one of the plates or sheets 10 and 12 on account of the necessity of permitting a slight amount of relative movement to take place between the tube and the plate so as to take care of thermal contraction and expansion of the tubes 'due tedifi'erences of temperature between the tubes 14 and the condenser shell 36.

It will be noted that the tube 14 does not extend clear through the thickness of the sheet 12. The aperture 16 is countersunk, as indicated at 17, and threaded at 18 to receive a nipple 20 equipped with a curved lip 22 and suitable notches 24 on opposite sides adapted to be engaged by a spanner wrench or some slmllar suitable tool for screwing the nipple in place. The nipple 20, when screwed in place, has its outer face perfectly flush with the face of the sheet 12.

.lVhile it is understood that the nipple 20 need not be employed in the present embodiment to maintain the tube in place, inas much as the tube l i is held rigidly in place when expanded due to the taper in the aperture 16, as above described, the nipple 20 provides an annular shoulder at the lower end of the tube 14: and this shoulder will hold the. tube against longitudinal displacement should it he or become loosened.

The curved lip or flared edge 22 of the nipple 20 is designed to produce an inlet nozzle-for ushering fluid into the tube 14 with a minimum ice of head due to turbulence. Then, too, this curved lip 22 wi l. in sure a relatively high peripheral velocity for the stream of fluid moving through the tube 14:. This tends to sweep the inner sur face of the tube 14- and keep it clean from accumulations of sediment which might cake in place, interfering greatly with the interchange of heat through the wall. of the tube, and with the rate of flow through the tube.

The other end of the tube 14: is fitted in an aperture 19 in the sheet 10. The aperture 19 is preferably countersunk in order to receive a gland 26 and packings 21 held in place by a nipple or ferrule 28 equipped with suitable notches 24 on opposite sides adapted to be engaged by spanner wrench or the like for screwing the nipple in place. This nipple 28 may also be formed with a curved opening or orifice for most efficient discharge of fluid, but it is impossible to eliminate the annular depression at 30 necessary to provide clearance for the expansion and contraction of tube 14.

As is clearly shown in Fig. 1, edge 32 of the upper end of the tube 14- and edge 3% defining the other side of the annular de pression 30 are preferably straight and sharp edged. This sharp edge construction results in a sharp right angle turn at both ends of the depression, which tends to fill the depression with small local eddy currents when the condenser is in operation, not extending out far into the main stream, which eddy currents efliciently maintain any sediment tend ing to be deposited in agitation from accumulating in the annular depression 80 of the tube, byreturning the same to the main stream, without at the same time absorbing any very considerable amount of energy. That is to say, the energy loss in the small local eddy currents do not, to any appreciable extent, affect the velocity head of the iuid passing through the tube.

The outer face of the ferrule or nipple 28 is preferably flush with the outer face of the sheet 10. The opening in the ferrule 28 is at least the same diameter as theinside of the tube, but preferably smaller in diameter. This is also true for the opening in the nipple or ferrule 20. I find by aligning the openin in the ferrules with the bore of the tube, that the fluid is conducted therethrough with a minimum amount of velocity head loss.

Vithout further elaboratiomthe foregoing will so fully explain the gist of the invention, that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adaptthe same for use under various conditions of service, without eliminating certain features which may properly be said to constitute the items of novelty involved, which items are intended to be defined and secured tome by the following claims I claim r 1. In combination, a tube, a sheet associated therewith having an aperture iuwhich an end of the tube is movably fitted, anda ferrule fitted in the said aperture forming an annular pocket intermediate its orifice and the end of the tube for permitting endwise movement of the tube, the orifice of the said ferrule being in aligi'm'ient with the bore of he tube and being flared outwardly so as to conduct a fluid from the tube with a minimum loss of head, the said ferrule being provided with a relatively sharp shoulder for co-operating with the end of the tube in governing the turbulence of the fluid in the annular pocket.

2. In combination, a tube, a sheet-asso c-iated therewith having an aperture in which an end of the tube is movably fitted, and a ferrule fitted in the said aperture forming a pocket between its orifice and the end of the tube for permitting endwise movement of the tube, the orifice of the said ferrule being," 

